International premiere of new Bendigo Art Gallery exhibition"Undressed: 350 years of fashion in underwear" was launched at Bendigo Art Gallery on Saturday, July 19. The exhibition will run until October 26.

Hundreds of art aficionados and fashionistas flocked to Bendigo Art Galley tonight for the international premiere of a revealing new exhibition.

Undressed: 350 Years of Underwear in Fashion features more than 80 historic and iconic garments from Britain's Victoria and Albert Museum and was opened with a cocktail function and burlesque dancers.

Bendigo Art Gallery curator Karen Quinlan said the first day of the exhibition saw about 900 visitors stream through the doors.

Another 400 frocked and suited up for the grand opening of the fourth fashion showcase in the past six years, which included the Golden Age of Couture and the highly-successful Grace Kelly exhibition.

"I think Bendigo Art Gallery is at the forefront of fashion in art museums and this is something a little bit different, it's an aspect you don't usually view because it's hidden.," Ms Quinlan said.

"There's certainly a groundswell, there's an interest out there and that's fantastic to see at the very beginning of any exhibition.

"We have a dedicated audience that just come back and are keen to see more and more."

The exhibition features more than three centuries of undergarments - from corsets, to bras, and Queen Victoria's intimates.

"It shows the harshness of corsetry and that desire to get the perfect shape, the right shape of the time," Ms Quinlan said.

"With fashion, it's often about who wore the garment. It's through clothing that you get close to people because they chose it, they wore it.